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Hey, GOGgers,

We're not perfect, we're exploring new frontiers, and we make mistakes. We thought DRM-Free was so important that you'd prefer we bring you more DRM-Free games and Fair Price was less critical and that it could be sacrificed in some cases. The last two week's worth of comments in our forums (nearly 10k!), show that's not the case. We didn’t listen and we let you down. We shouldn't sacrifice one of our core values in an attempt to advance another. We feel bad about that, and we're sorry. Us being sorry is not of much use to you, so let’s talk about how we will fix it.

One: DRM-free forever. Abandoning fixed regional pricing means it will probably take longer to get some games, but you've made it clear that sacrificing fair pricing for more DRM-free games isn't acceptable.

Two: We will adamantly continue to fight for games with flat worldwide pricing. If that fails and we are required to have regional prices, we will make up the difference for you out of our own pockets. For now it will be with $5.99 and $9.99 game codes. In a couple of months, once we have such functionality implemented, we will give you store credit instead, which then you will be able to use towards any purchase and cover the price of it in full or partially. Effectively gamers from all around the world will be able to benefit from the US prices.

This will apply to every single game where we do not have flat pricing, such as Age of Wonders 3 (full details here), Divinity: Original Sin, and The Witcher 3. If you remember the Fair Price Package for The Witcher 2, this will be exactly the same.

Three: We still intend to introduce the pricing in local currencies. Let us explain why we want to do it and how we want to make it fair for everyone. From the very beginning our intention was to make things easier for users whose credit cards/payment systems are not natively in USD. The advantages are simple because the price is more understandable and easier to relate to. There would be no exchange rates involved, no transaction fees, and no other hidden charges. However after reading your comments, we realized we have taken an important element away: the choice. In order to fix this, we'll offer the option of paying in the local currency or the equivalent in USD. This way, how you pay is always your choice.

Four: You are what matters, and we will be sure to involve you all more in what we're doing and why we're doing it. Let's start by meeting you at GDC - we’d like to invite you to meet us face-to-face Monday the 17th at GDC. Obviously, not all of you can come to San Francisco, so we want to invite all of you to an online event with us early in April to ask us whatever you would like. More details soon.

The bottom line is simple: there may be companies that won't work with us (although we will work hard to convince the most stubborn ones ;). Yes, it means we might miss out on some games, but at the same time GOG.com will remain true to its values and will keep on offering you the best of DRM-free gaming with Fair Prices.

Once again thank you for caring so much about GOG.com. We will work hard not to disappoint you again.

--Marcin "iWi" Iwinski & Guillaume "TheFrenchMonk" Rambourg
Thanks for listening to your customers gog.
Good news.
Still hoping we get more newer games, assuming it won't negatively influence the stream of old games.
Newer as in not just indie and kickstarter games.
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Pheace: So taking into account the compensation, I'm curious how that works out for GOG. ...
I think the calculation might be slightly wrong. Because for myself I would make it different. I normally only buy at promos with at least 50% discount, so a $10 gift code is only worth $5. However a store credit might work better here.

But the most important part is that lowering the price (that's what they effectively are doing) means increasing the sales and therefore profit can still increase. Maybe in total they don't give up profit but even gain profit.

So far AoW3 was more expensive than this one retailer that I found which is imported. Now they are on par. I am now much more likely to buy AoW3 here compared to before.
high rated
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Senteria: Thank you so much for this and listening to the community.
The same community that after all of this will return to bitching about the absence of certain games on GOG that might have come here if they hadn't bitched about regional pricing.
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GOG.com: ...
Well I must say this is extremely welcome! Thank you for listening eventually (I get that it takes time to agree on a U turn like this).


I hope someone can be more specific about how this relates to the classic games though. You talk about the choice to pay in local currency or the equivalent in USD... so does this mean € users can pay $5.99 for a $5.99 classic if they choose USD or does that mean the USD equivalent of €4.49, which is $6.22? The difference is not huge but it's still a question I'm interested in the answer to.
well done gog!!
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Post edited March 11, 2014 by narrick
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Senteria: Thank you so much for this and listening to the community.
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F4LL0UT: The same community that after all of this will return to bitching about the absence of certain games on GOG that might have come here if they hadn't bitched about regional pricing.
Yep. Pretty much.
This seems better than what you initially had planned. That's about all I can offer, though. Your initial decision hurt and while I might forgive it with this, I wont forget it either.

I shall remain vigilant, but you will retain my custom.
That's nice of you GOG to finally come to your senses. Well done and thank you.
This is great :)
I'd still rather you guys address the messed up preorder exclusive DLC BS than the regional pricing... Why should people who don't preorder (no matter the reason) get less of a product, and no way ever to get the whole product?
Post edited March 11, 2014 by mqstout
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Pheace: So taking into account the compensation, I'm curious how that works out for GOG. ...
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Trilarion: I think the calculation might be slightly wrong. Because for myself I would make it different. I normally only buy at promos with at least 50% discount, so a $10 gift code is only worth $5. However a store credit might work better here.

But the most important part is that lowering the price (that's what they effectively are doing) means increasing the sales and therefore profit can still increase. Maybe in total they don't give up profit but even gain profit.

So far AoW3 was more expensive than this one retailer that I found which is imported. Now they are on par. I am now much more likely to buy AoW3 here compared to before.
I don't see where the calculation would be wrong then though, but rather that you value the compensation differently?

I'm going off the basis that GOG would be compensating the difference 100%. (granted, I agree I'd only buy on sales so coupons that only work on 100% priced games wouldn't qualify as proper compensation for me but that's beyond the point of the calculation there :) )

And although it's slightly ambiguously posted in the announcement I'm going to assume a store credit compensation like they're saying they're planning in the future would simply allow us to spend that credit on sales.
Post edited March 11, 2014 by Pheace
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Messi_is_Messiah: I hope this new policy doesn't dip into gog's pockets too much.
I'm pretty sure it won't. Thel increased sales will compensate the loses of the compensaiton gift codes partly or even generate profit. It may be.
How could you abandon your abandonment of your core value.
Very disappointed in GOG for having no integrity and not sticking to its principles. :-p

I urge you to abandon this abandonment of your abandonment of your core value.


So this is what's the video about? I stumbled upon it on youtube earlier today and wondered what is it about.
Hm, somehow you guys succeed in making everything okay after *** it up. Thank you, I feel like my trust is rewarded with trust and there is nothing more valuable these days.